500km endurance race around SE Qld for charity

Athletes from around Australia are taking part in a 500km race around regional south-east Queensland to raise money for Endeavour Foundation, an organisation that supports over 3350 people with a disability.

16 teams of around twenty runners each will take a route from Mt Gravatt to Warwick, around to Toowoomba and back to Fernvale over three days, starting on the 18th of November.

The teams will compete for a range of titles including overall winner of the 2011 500km Team Endurance Relay, but it’s not just how fast they run that will decide who will be crowned the ultimate champions.

The more money a team raises, the more time is taken off the team’s finishing result.

The funds will go to Endeavour Foundation, a leading organisation in the disability sector that provides services and support to people with a disability.

A number of high profile athletes will be competing including Jackson Elliot, who is on the road to selection for the London 2012 Olympics. Australia sends the three top qualifiers to compete in the 5000m race at the Olympics. Elliot is currently 4th but believes he’s in with a chance.

“I’ve achieved a number of good results lately, I really feel like I’m improving,” he said.

Then there are also those runners who just love the competition.

Damien Williams knows only too well the struggles people with a disability face every day.

At age 27, Damien completely lost his sight, but he hasn’t let that hold him back. This is the 6th time he will be running to raise money for Endeavour Foundation. With the aid of a guide-runner Damien will run with the team The Running Shop Rebels.

“I think that if you don’t get up and keep going, you will lose the motivation to achieve, so I don’t let anything keep me down,” he said.

Both Jackson and Damien see the competition becoming one of the more popular events on the annual endurance racing calendar.

“A lot of people are talking about this race, I think there is a lot of room for the competition to grow,” Jackson said.

For more information or if you would like to donate to one of the team’s to aid in their fortunes and those of people with a disability, visit teamendurance.endeavour.com.au